Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-10-13

ment indicated how highly it was valued.
The crop and supplies they did not ap-
pear to grieve over particularly, as pre-
vented any destruction of the cribs or
any unnecessary damage to the property.
Consequently was very Hospitality re-
ceived at the house. The family consist
ed of an old gentleman named Sunder
land, his wife and three daughters. Sun
nerland was well to do planter, though
too old to take arms. He was a doctor
by profession and Methodist minister
by choice. His family circle was, in its
refinement and the beauty of the girls,
something charming, particularly to a
horse soldier who for some years had
known only the roughness of the camp.
The eldest daughter was married, her
husband being captain in the Rebel ar
my. The other two were our fair petit
TONERS, and with them I enjoyed fater-
ing degree of popularity from the
start"
The commander rim chief stopped and
gazed with a satisfied smile into the Ala
bama of twenty years ago.
"WelI," he said, picking up the thread
Of the story, II need only say that their
fate was in my hands, that all is fair in
love and war, and from that day forth
simply owned the place, corn fields, mig
gers, guitars, and Methodist preachers
included. And gentlemen -" and he
dwelt with some particular and meaning
emphasis upon the sand" -sshe, Ellen,
was 10 and | was z3.
During the next two months all our
foraging, somehow, was in their direction.
It seemed, perhaps, to the horses that
Ilcll 10 IN linz n
migrated to the district back of the Sun
passed In order to light upon anything
at all. There was something about the
Sunderland's cuisine, too, that must have
appeared very tempting to my men, for I
did not willingly, l believe, miss meal.
Ellen and I, in fact, were constantly to-
gether. The old folks made no objection.
The blue eyes of the golden-hairen sister
beamed the sweetest kind of approval,
the days were long, and the twilight of
the dim old frwoods perfect, and-I be-
lieve | mentioned the fact, gentlemen"
said the commander in chief, with sigh,
ethat she was 10 and / was %.
81 might remark parenthically that
there is nothing in life quite SO fascinat-
ing as to be isolated in the wilderness in
eral books have been written with that
one idea TO carry them, and like Charles
Reads Foul Play they have always
caught the public eye. There was no
sentimental talk between us. The crack
of the guerilla rifle, the distant boom of
battle, the war smoke in the air, and the
period when 10 one knew what a day
might bring forth, were very ill~adapted
for sincere loVe-making, and that any
thing in the shape of man could have
made live to Ellen Sunderland is sincere
ity it would take a pretty bitter cynic to
believe. But we were together none the
less; together when the tree shadows
crept slowly across the hot, still brown
fields as the sun sank lower and lower to-
ward the mountains SUBMITS; together
in the stiffness and loneliness of moss
grown aisles of the woods; in the moon
tide heat; together when the big, round
harvest moon hung still and shimmering
like great seal of gold balanced against
the black velvet wall of the autumn night
universe. What we said and what we did
and what we thought it matters not 1t
would be to you very like chestnut, per-
haps, to dwell upon it. Every woman
knows who has been 10; every man re-
members who knew what it was to be %.
"Well one day when I entered the
house l had surprise. / had heard ru-
morS of there being wounded Rebel Off
Ger ia hiding at the Sunderlands. [ had
paid no attention to them, however, be-
lieving them to be without foundation.
But on this day, entering the house as
usual, without knocking. opened door the
OF the reception-rOOm or parlOr, the first
door on the right-hand side of the hail
which ran through the house. There
was large fireplace in the room on the
side opposite the door. AS I stepped in
saw an easy chair, high backed, in front
of this fire. 1 was instantly conscious
in some way-for certainly saw nothing
of hIm-thaJ man, and stranger, was
sitting in that chair. I did not attempt
to see any more. I stepped out, closed
the door, and quietly took chair in the
sitting room opposite In a moment or
two the eldest daughter came in hurriedly
pale and agitated.
"'Mr. --!" she gasped. Did you
go into the other roomf'
81 did, said I.
Did you see anYbOdy?'
s''I did not answered very quietly.
She looked me squarely IN the eye.
looked squarely back. She bowed and,
apparently relieved, passed out.
''She had scarcely gone before Addie
came in. She was confused st seeing me
in the sitting-room.
sob, Mr.. - she said, and then
stopped in perplexity.
"'What is it,! asked.
81 was gong to ask-I-that is
Did you go into the other room?'
81 Did, said 1.
"'Did you see any bodys' I" 4 did not
Sand then, with the same question on
her lips, Ellen came in, ignorant of what
had occurred with the others. She was
very grave, almost sad. She asked me
the same question in a low and appeal
ing tone. did not like even subter-
f1ge with her. When she asked if I had
penetrated the mysterious apartment, I
asked, shaking my head.
"'And why? Is there anything in this
house to concealr
"The eldest sister, who had returned,
shook her head in denial. It was no
wonder. He was her husband, / suppose.
looked at Ellen and Addie. They
looked away. They never looked more
lovely, at least to me. For they would
al. I: 49, \